President Donald Trump endured probing questions about his war strategy against Iran and repeated weather disruptions during an interview with US broadcaster NBC, but became enraged when confronted about his baseless claims of election fraud.
“You’re a one-sided, crooked network. I’m sorry. Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you, baby. Have a good time,” Trump told “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker before standing up and leaving the interview that aired Sunday.
The interview, filmed on Friday, took place at a farm in Wisconsin, where Trump was addressing farmers. A tractor and hay bales served as a backdrop.
The interview was interrupted several times by weather and audio problems when torrential rain hit the roof, making it difficult to continue the conversation.
“Is that wind or what?” Trump asked at one point.
“Do you hear that sound?” he said later. “That sound of thunder, lightning, rain.”
Welker asked his technical team if they should stop.
“No. People will understand: we are on a farm,” the president responded.
Several questions followed about Iran, nuclear weapons and his campaign promises to keep the United States out of foreign wars.
“First of all, I didn’t guarantee there would be no war. Why would I have built the strongest army in the world?” he said, and then accused Welker of being “a great liberal, a great progressive.”
“No, I’m just a journalist,” she replied.
Trump went on to say, “I don’t like these endless wars. This is not an endless war. We’ve been doing this for three months.”
The tone escalated again when the discussion turned to Trump’s proposed taxpayer-funded program to compensate people he believes were victims of partisan prosecution under his predecessor, Joe Biden.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen to the weapons fund,” he said. “I love the idea because people like you, the fake dirty press, the corrupt press, people like stupid Biden… you destroyed people. You sent people to jail who did nothing wrong.”
“There is no evidence for what you are saying,” Welker said.
Trump reiterated past false claims that the 2020 election was “rigged” and said last week’s primary in California was too.
Welker stood his ground and asked the president to present evidence.
“Either you’re corrupt or you’re stupid,” Trump finally responded before leaving the camera’s view as Welker tried to keep him involved.
On Sunday, Welker told viewers that she had spoken to Trump on Saturday about climate disruption and that he had agreed to give her another interview.
